By Rey Danseco
MANNY Pacquiao may acquire the distinction as best fighter pound-for-pound in the world should Floyd Mayweather, 30, stay true to his words and hang up his gloves. Pacquiao is currently ranked behind Mayweather on most recognized pound-for-pound lists.
Mayweather, who dethroned Oscar De La Hoya for the World Boxing Council (WBC) light middleweight title last Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, said in a post-fight interview that De La Hoya would be his last fight.
"Yes, I'm going to retire. I don't have anything else to prove," Mayweather said. "I want to start spending more time with my children, and that's what I am going to do."
Pacquiao made it into the elite list of fighters, ranked regardless of weight class, after he dominated Mexican superstar Marco Antonio Barrera in November of 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao forced Barrera’s corner to climbed up the ring and ask the referee to stop the one-sided massacre in the 11th round of their scheduled 12-round collision.
Pacquiao, who will turn 29-years-old in December, won six of his next eight fights. Three of his victories were against two former world champions Erik Morales (twice by knockout) and Oscar Larios to move up to the second tier spot.
Three of four major boxing organizations in world rank Pacquiao as the top contender in the super featherweight division.
Pacquiao eyes a rematch against WBC super featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico and he may also get a crack, by being the No. 1 contender, to WBA titlist Edwin Valero of Venezuela and WBO title holder Joan Guzman of the Dominican Republic.
Marquez, who fought Pacquiao to a draw in 2004 after one of the judges made a mistake in his scoring of the first round, is the only super featherweight champion to be listed in pound-for-pound top 10 rankings.
Behind Pacquiao are WBC super bantamweight king Rafael Marquez, next is his brother Juan Manuel Marquez, at No. 5 is middleweight Ronald “Winky” Wright.
To complete the top 10 are: middleweight Jermain Taylor, light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins, super middleweight Joe Calzaghe, Barrera, and junior welterweight Ricky Hatton.
